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Scriptcake

Lovinder Gill

Scriptcake is dedicated to the art and craft of screenwriting. With over 20 years of experience teaching screenwriting, I've seen novice screenwriters struggle with the same issues over and over again. I’ve created this podcast for those of you who struggle with these very same script issues. This podcast will help you overcome the most common mistakes screenwriters make and will help you develop your idea into a multi-dimensional story. If you want help formatting your screenplay, google it. I want to focus on issues that aren’t quite as google-able.

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20 episodes
Avg 18 min
English

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Episodes 20

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Friday · 10 min
137. Protagonist's Problems #4: The Stranger
How well do you really know your protagonist? The odds are, not well enough. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E136
September 11 · 4 min
136. Protagonist Problem #3: The Wrong Want
Your protagonist wants something. You've made that perfectly clear. But what if they want the wrong thing? In this episode, we look at the difference between having a goal and having a goal powerful enough to drive an entire screenplay. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E135
September 4 · 6 min
135. Protagonist Problem #2: Too Nice
You want the audience to like your protagonist. Of course you do. But sometimes trying too hard to make a character likable does exactly the opposite. In this episode, we look at why being "nice" might be one of the things keeping your protagonist from coming alive. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E134
August 28 · 7 min
134. Protagonist Problem #1: The Passenger
Welcome to our new series on issues with Protagonists in your screenplay. In this series, we will look at a number of issues with protagonists and help you try to solve them. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode in this series. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E133
May 23 · 4 min
133. The Denial
It happens to us on a regular basis. We deny something that is inevitable. We deny our hopes and dreams. We deny so many things that we know we shouldn't. Once you figure out why, then you've figured out a massive plot point for a screenplay. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E132
May 8 · 7 min
132. Writing About Your Life
It is imperative that you do and don't write about your life. Is that confusing? If so, listen to this weeks podcast and get a little clarity. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E131
May 1 · 10 min
131. Excessive Exposition
Don't do it. Overexplaining is an epidemic in screenwriting. Find out why and how to avoid it in this episode. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E130
March 20 · 9 min
130. The Focus Point
Sometimes we get lost during the screenwriting process. It's hard to stay clear on what we're writing about. External factors influence us. We research things that impact our original ideas. How do we keep it all clear? Well, we go back to the beginning, to our Focus Point. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E129
March 13 · 1 hr 3 min
129. Alvaro Rodriguez - Screenwriter | Producer | Composer
Alvaro Rodriguez is a writer, producer, and composer. He began his career by working as a composer on El Mariachi in 1992. He has since expanded into film and television writing and producing. He has written on From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Machete, Seis Manos, American Rust, Chicago Fire and Florida Man. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E128
March 9 · 7 min
128. The Story Behind The Story
Have you completed a feature film and people love the idea of it but when they read it, it doesn't resonate with them? That's probably because there's no story behind your story. Listen to find out what the issue is. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E127
February 13 · 51 min
127. Paul Chitlik - Screenwriter | Producer | Director | Author
Paul Chitlik is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, director, and internationally respected educator who has written for major studios and networks in both English and Spanish. He served as story editor for MGM/UA’s The New Twilight Zone and staff writer for Showtime’s Brothers, and has developed features for numerous production companies. He earned a Writers Guild of America nomination for The Twilight Zone, a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Los Beltrán, and a Genesis Award for a Showtime Family film. He wrote, produced, and directed the feature The Wedding Dress. A longtime UCLA instructor and clinical professor at Loyola Marymount University, Chitlik has taught screenwriting worldwide and is the author of the influential craft book Rewrite. In this podcast, we discuss Paul's latest book - The Screenwriting Sensei. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E126
February 9 · 9 min
126. The Personal Story Problem
Are you having a hard time adapting a real life experience to a screenplay. It's probably because of the personal story problem. Listen and see if fixing this can help you write a better screenplay. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S6 · E125
January 23 · 7 min
125. Screenwriting Resolutions
As a new year is upon us, it's time to think about what we want to accomplish this year as screenwriters. What are your screenwriting resolutions? Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E124
Dec 5, 2025 · 9 min
124. What is a Rewrite
A lot of screenwriters get confused when rewriting their screenplays. What constitutes an actual rewrite? Listen and find out. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E123
Nov 28, 2025 · 8 min
123. The Where
It's probably the most overlooked element in a scene. Understand the power of choosing the right location for your scene to take place. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
Nov 22, 2025 · 50 min
122/ Diane Drake - Screenwriter/Author 'What Women Want' 'Only You'
Diane Drake is a screenwriter who is best known for writing Only You (1994) and What Women Want (2000). She is also the author of the screenwriting book, Get Your Story Straight. Click the link to get it on Amazon. Diane will be a mentor at the Rocaberti Writers Retreat in Figueres, Spain, March 2026 To find press and podcasts featuring Diane, click here. To read an extended interview with Diane, click here. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E121
Nov 15, 2025 · 7 min
121. The Question & The Answer
Oftentimes, screenwriters miss writing half of their movie because they never ask the question and, as a result, they never answer it. Listen to find out if you're asking the right question. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E120
Sep 26, 2025 · 4 min
120. Scene Data
What are the layers of information that an audience receives when they are watching a scene? It's a lot more data than you think. Listen to learn more! Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E119
Aug 29, 2025 · 8 min
119. Mistakes to Avoid Before You Send Out Your Script
As a former script reader, I've seen it all. There are so many things that make a reader, producer, financier or distributor pass on your film. If it's the story, that's one thing but if it's any of these mistakes, you're cutting your legs off before you even begin walking through your screenwriting career. Make sure you avoid all of these mistakes before you send your screenplay to anyone! Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.
S5 · E118
Aug 22, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
118. Sabrina Dhawan - Screenwriter Monsoon Wedding, Rangoon, Ishqia
Sabrina Dhawan's debut feature as screenwriter, Monsoon Wedding, won the ‘Leon D’Oro’ at the Venice Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination. Sabrina’s other produced screenplay credits include Kaminey, directed by Vishal Bharadwaj for UTV; Ishqiya, directed by Abhishek Chaubey for Shemaroo Entertainment. 11.9.01, directed by Nair for Canal Plus; Cosmopolitan for PBS; Rangoon, directed by Vishal Bharadwaj. She served as co-producer on Bollywood Hero, a mini-series for IFC and as story consultant on Bharadwaj’s Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola and wrote a documentary Greatest Love Story Ever Told to celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema for UTV and Shekhar Kapoor. Sabrina has been commissioned to write for include UTV, 20th Century Fox, HBO, Disney, Fox-Star, Killer Films, ABC Family and Fox Searchlight. Her student short Saanjh – As Night Falls won ‘Best of the Festival’ at the Palm Springs Film Festival; ‘Most Original Film’ from New Line Cinema, ‘Audience Impact’ Award at Angelus Awards, and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. Support the show For more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

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